What is positive reinforcement?

What is positive reinforcement?

• A. Presenting a neutral consequence
• B. Adding something good to increase the wanted behavior
• C. Removing something bad to increase a behavior
• D. Punishing the behavior

Answer: (B)

Positive reinforcement means you add something desirable after a behavior to increase how often that behavior occurs. By presenting a pleasant consequence, the likelihood of the behavior happening again goes up. Think of giving a dog a treat after it sits, or praise a student for turning in their work on time. A bonus for hitting a target also fits this idea—something good is added to make the behavior more likely in the future. The other ideas don’t fit because they rely on adding a neutral outcome, removing something aversive, or punishing the behavior to reduce it. A neutral consequence doesn’t reliably boost behavior, removing something bad after the behavior is negative reinforcement (it increases behavior by removing an aversive stimulus), and punishment aims to decrease behavior rather than increase it.

Positive reinforcement means you add something desirable after a behavior to increase how often that behavior occurs. By presenting a pleasant consequence, the likelihood of the behavior happening again goes up.

Think of giving a dog a treat after it sits, or praise a student for turning in their work on time. A bonus for hitting a target also fits this idea—something good is added to make the behavior more likely in the future.

The other ideas don’t fit because they rely on adding a neutral outcome, removing something aversive, or punishing the behavior to reduce it. A neutral consequence doesn’t reliably boost behavior, removing something bad after the behavior is negative reinforcement (it increases behavior by removing an aversive stimulus), and punishment aims to decrease behavior rather than increase it.